Multi-node communication system and method of requesting, reporting and collecting destination-node-based measurements and route-based measurements

• US 8,364,127 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roy, Vincent, Lu, Guang, Zaki, Maged, Tomici, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/754,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20100189044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/432.2, 455/466, 455/411, 455/433, 455/436, 709/246, 370/259, 370/260, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/122 by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A multi-node communication system and method used to request, report and collect destination-node-based measurements and route-based measurements is disclosed. The communication system may be a mesh network including a plurality of mesh points (MPs). In one embodiment, a destination-node-based measurement request is sent to one or more destination nodes via destination-unicast, destination-multicast, or destination-broadcast, using routes specified via next-hop-unicast, next-hop-multicast, or next-hop-broadcast addressing. In another embodiment, a source node sends a measurement request message to a final destination node, whereby each node along the route individually sends a measurement report message to the source node. Alternatively, measurement results of each node are combined and appended to the measurement request message, and a measurement report message including the combined measurement results is sent to the source node.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a message in a mesh network, the method comprising:

an intermediate node receiving a message from another node, the message including a maximum number of next hop addresses field that includes a value representing a maximum number of nodes to which the intermediate node is permitted to forward the message;

the intermediate node decrementing the value included in the maximum number of next hop addresses field to a new value; and

the intermediate node forwarding the message including the new value in the maximum number of next hop addresses field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate node forwards the message using next-hop multicast on a condition that the decremented value is greater than zero.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate node forwards the message using next-hop broadcast on a condition that the decremented value is greater than zero.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate node forwards the message using next-hop unicast on a condition that the new value is less than or equal to zero.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate node forwards the message using next-hop unicast on a condition that the new value is less than or equal to zero and forwards the message using one of next-hop broadcast and next-hop multicast on a condition that the decremented value is greater than zero.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate node forwards the message using one of next-hop broadcast and next-hop multicast on a condition that the decremented value is greater than zero.